Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-09
ADMIRAL LUCE TALKS.
EXPLAINING THE ACTION THAT THE
NAVAL SECRETARY CRITICISED.

The Mission of United States warships in
Canadian waters-A Conference on the
Richmond-Serious Difference of Opip-
ion Developed-British sIen-of-war to
Take a Hand in the Row.
New YORK, Aug "a special from Hal
flax, N S., says that Admiral Luce author
lies the following statement in regard to the
circular which he issued giving instructions
to American fishermen.
Ny position is easily defined It is understood
by common report that the United States govern
ment and that of Great Britain are now negotiat-
ing for settlement of the fisheries questions
Pending these negotiations it is the part of the
United States vessels of war in Canadian waters
TO avoid doing anything that might even hdrass
our government or add to the complication of the
various questions at issue The ships of the
North Atlantic squadron were not sent to the gulf
of st Lawrence to prevent by force seizure of
American fishermen by Dominion cruisers for al
legged violation of laws for thasprotection of the
inshore fisheries but rather TO render such moral
support as the mere presence of our ships might
afford. In the event of a seizure of an American
fishing vessel for alleged violation of the laws
the courts, not by Dominion cruiser and yes
selof-w war of the United States This is not abat-
ing one iet or one tittle of the American side of
the question for if the Dominion courts find in
opposition to the claim of the United States, then
the case can be taken up by our government and
submitted if necessary, tn arbitration The ap-
peal to arms, as some of our newspapers suggest,
Is supposed to he the measure Of last resort. Had
the entire United States navy been present on
a.. l.
the seizure by very small Dominion cruiser of
the Highland Light for fishing within the three
mile limit. However tenaciouSly we may uphold
the Justice of the American side of the question.
il has not saved the cases of the David J Adams
and Ellen NJ Doughty from dragging through
the courts now for over year. And what
ever may be the decision in those cases
the fact remains that the voyage in
each case was broken up and the
parties most directly concerned subjected TO much
Inconvenience. Hence. 10 enable our fishermen
to keep out of the courts the first and most obvi-
Gus step was TO ascertain the nature of the in
stFuctons issued to the Dominion cruisers and
having obtained that Information. the next step
was 10 give our fishermen the benefits of it with
out Endorsement by me or by any American Off
cial Of the views embraced in those instructions
Coupled with this information was the warning
that. in the event of seizure the case would have
to go to the courts, as vessels of war were not
empowered to nterpose force or TO prevent the
law from taking IFS course. The only exception
to this that aware of is IN doubtful cases, or
in cases where the rights of our fishermen seem
to have been clearly violated by the Dominion
cruisers In that event the question is referred
by thu nearest United States consul to the consul
general at Halifax. who makes up he case and
submits it TO the state department at Washing
ton.
A conference took place at Halifax Satur-
day on board the United States flagship Rich
mond, lasting over an hour, between the Cana
dian minister of fisheries, Rear Admiral Luce,
.. S. N, Consul General Phelan, and Capt
Scott, of the Dominion navy 1t is under
stood that all the phases of the fisheries lis
pute were freely discussed in friendly spirit,
although the conference was purely informal,
and it is hoped that the result of the confer
ence will be to simplify the many points re-
quired to be solved
Upon one point however, there was a de
cided difference OF opinion, and that was the
cases of the Gloucester schooners Argonaut
and French Minister Foster declared it to
be the intention of the Canadian authorities
to capture those vessels wherever thev could
find them, either inside Canadian limits or
on the high seas outside the terri
torial waters of the United States He ar
gued that the vessels, upon the admission of
their crews had clearly been guilty of vio-
lating the treaty, and therefore were liable
TO forfeiture and forfeited vessel could be
taken anywhere outside the territorial waters
of another power Both Admiral Luce and
Consul General PheIan strongly dissented
from this view, and emphatically expressed
their opinions that the United States would
never permit those vessels to be taken out
side the territorial waters of Canada
In all the discussion, however, the greatest
interest conferred in the current report that
Secretary of the Navy Whitney has tele-
graphed Admiral Luce to withdraw all circu-
lars or memoranda of instructions that he
may have authorized or issued to American
fishermen, to which the admiral refers in his
statement given above.
1t is positively stated, but the statement is
impossible of verification at this time that
the British war-ships now in the North Amer
lean waters are to take hand in settling
the fisheries question. This announcement
was made last Saturday night and has caused
genuine surprise on all sides 1t is the first
time that the British authorities have inter
fered in the fisheries fight and the unexpect-
ed change of policy occasions no little anx-
iety among Americans here They don't
know what to make of it. The men
of-wr will not act as patrols only to keep
American fisherm outside the forbidden
waters, but will make seizures when they
cross the line. There are three war ships
available for the service at this noment-ad-
miral Lyons flagship, the Bellerophon, the
Canada and the Pylades These vessels are
now in Halifax harbor The present inten-
ton is to send the ships Immediately to
the gulf of st. Lawrence to reinforce the five
Canadian cruisers already there. 1t is not
likely that more than three war ships will be
put at the work of seizing Yankees, but, if
it should it he considered advisable, as many
more can be ordered into these waters from
Newfoundland and Bermuda at few days
notice.